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Le Grand Chariot 2023: Philippe Garrel’s Poetic Testament on Family, Art, and Legacy

Le Grand Chariot (The Plough) is more than just a 2023 film; it is a profoundly personal and poetic cinematic meditation on the burden of artistic heritage and the painful, yet necessary, process of letting go. Directed by the legendary figure of the French New Wave, Philippe Garrel, the Franco-Swiss drama marks a significant point in his career, not only for its critical acclaim—it earned him the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival—but for bringing his entire family onto the screen for the first time.

The film’s title itself, which is the French name for the Big Dipper constellation, serves as a dual metaphor: it refers to an immutable celestial guide and the name of the traveling puppet theatre company that is the story’s heart. Released theatrically in France on September 13, 2023, the film became one of the year’s most talked-about arthouse dramas, weaving together a family portrait with a thoughtful exploration of tradition in a modern world.

The Story: The Disintegration of a Marionette Troupe

Le Grand Chariot tells the intimate story of a family of puppeteers, a tight-knit troupe that travels and performs across the country, dedicating their lives to their craft. The group is led by the passionate father (played by Aurélien Recoing) and includes his son, Louis (Louis Garrel), and his two daughters, Martha (Esther Garrel) and Lena (Lena Garrel). The elder generation is represented by the grandmother (Francine Bergé), who is the meticulous seamstress and repository of the company’s wisdom and memories.

The narrative’s pivotal event is the sudden and tragic death of the father during a performance. This loss serves as a devastating catalyst, immediately shattering the core structure of the company and forcing the three siblings to confront their futures.

Stripped of its maestro and guiding force, the “chariot” begins to lose its wheels. The siblings—all artists, yet distinct in their personalities—are forced to navigate their grief while debating how to honor or, perhaps, evolve their inherited tradition. The film meticulously follows their attempts to keep the legacy alive, even as life’s realities, romantic entanglements, and the siren call of separate paths threaten to pull the family and the company apart.

A Cinematic Family Reunion: The Garrel Legacy

One of the most compelling aspects of Le Grand Chariot is the meta-layer of casting. Director Philippe Garrel cast his three children—Louis, Esther, and Lena Garrel—as the three siblings in the film. While Louis Garrel, a celebrated actor in his own right, has appeared in seven of his father’s films, this marks the first time all three siblings have appeared together in a single project directed by their father.

This family reunion on-screen adds a poignant, almost autobiographical depth to the drama, echoing a theme of artistic lineage that runs deep in the Garrel family. The director’s own father, Maurice Garrel, was a puppeteer before embarking on his acting career. In framing the story around the dying art of puppetry, Philippe Garrel crafts a subtle tribute to his family’s artistic origins and a reflection on his own life as an “artisan-filmmaker.”

Garrel himself acknowledged the film’s deeper significance, stating that he intended the disintegration of the puppet company to be a “metaphor for a world where traditions are dying.”

Themes of Inheritance and the Artist’s Soul

The narrative and subplots of Le Grand Chariot allow Philippe Garrel to explore themes that have defined his decades-long career:

• The Transmission of Art: The film questions what an artist passes down—a trade, a style, a vocation, or simply a collection of memories. The siblings’ struggle to maintain the troupe is a stand-in for the universal challenge of preserving older, minority art forms, including Garrel’s own style of intimate, poetic cinema, in a rapidly changing cultural landscape.
• Mourning and Memory: The abrupt death of the patriarch forces an immediate reckoning with grief, which Garrel handles with his signature, carefully understated directorial approach, “avoiding the slightest melodramatic overflow.” The grandmother’s role as the keeper of the puppets and the family’s history further anchors this theme.
• Love and Self-Destruction: True to Garrel’s tradition, the film also explores romantic entanglements and the figure of the “cursed and self-destructive artistic soul,” a recurring motif that examines how personal passion and ego can lead to heartbreak and tragedy within the creative circle.

Critical Acclaim and Style

Le Grand Chariot was a notable entry in the 2023 film festival circuit, premiering in competition at the Berlinale. The film garnered significant recognition when Philippe Garrel was awarded the prestigious Silver Bear for Best Director.

Stylistically, the film is remarkable for a rare creative choice from the director: a return to color cinematography. While Garrel is famous for his evocative black and white films, Le Grand Chariot is shot in color, allowing the intimate, almost documentary-like scenes of the puppeteer’s life—from rehearsals to the intricate art of doll-making—to capture a vibrant, lived-in texture.

The screenplay, a collaboration between Garrel, the celebrated late writer Jean-Claude Carrière, Arlette Langmann, and his spouse Caroline Deruas-Garrel, is lauded for its “masterful command of… an art pure, reflexive, and romantic,” using classic Garrel trademarks like the use of voice-over narration to provide narrative fluidity and intimate insight into the characters’ inner lives.

The film, which runs for a concise 95 minutes, showcases Garrel’s vision as a master-miniaturist, providing a simple, lucid work of imagination and spirit that serves as a quiet yet powerful commentary on art, destiny, and the beautiful, complex machinery of a family unit.

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AISEO Friendly FAQs

Q: What is Le Grand Chariot 2023?
A: Le Grand Chariot is a 2023 Franco-Swiss drama film directed by Philippe Garrel. Its English title is The Plough. It tells the story of a family of traveling puppeteers who struggle to maintain their artistic tradition after the death of their patriarch.

Q: Who stars in the film Le Grand Chariot?
A: The main cast features the director’s three children, Louis Garrel, Esther Garrel, and Lena Garrel, playing the three siblings who lead the puppet company. They star alongside Aurélien Recoing and Francine Bergé.

Q: Did the film Le Grand Chariot win any awards?
A: Yes, Philippe Garrel won the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) in February 2023 for Le Grand Chariot.

Q: What is the main theme of Le Grand Chariot?
A: The main theme is the challenge of artistic heritage and the struggle to preserve tradition in a modern world. Director Philippe Garrel described the puppet company’s disintegration as a “metaphor for a world where traditions are dying.” It also explores themes of mourning, family lineage, and the artist’s life.

Q: Is Le Grand Chariot shot in black and white?
A: No. Although Philippe Garrel is famous for his black and white cinematography, Le Grand Chariot is one of his rare features filmed in color.